An amateur superhero coming from a small town in Mexico, Bunker is a member of the Teen Titans. He is capable of projecting Psionic bricks to form walls and other structures in various forms. He can also use his psionic bricks as a form of armour.

There was a time when having a gay character in comics was practically unheard of. We've been seeing more and more and it's about time they start getting the spotlight. In this week's TEEN TITANS #3, we will be introduced to the newest member of the team, an openly gay and flamboyant teen going by the name Bunker.

Comic Vine: Where did the decision come from for a gay Teen Titan on this team?

Scott Lobdell: It just came about because when Brett [Booth] and I were asked to create some new characters, he and I agreed that the comics industry is filled to overflowing with straight white male characters... and it was time (well, past time) to bring an openly gay teenager to the series.

It may or may not surprise people to know that while the character was already agreed upon, we had a lot of back and forth about what his powers would be. The next time someone interviews Brett they should ask him if he has any pre-Wall sketches.

Actually, it wasn't until I had a sit down with DC Maestro Geoff Johns and I was talking to him about how Miguel's powers were really giving me trouble... and he suggested he always tries to create powers from character. Now, certainly I've done that before with Marrow and Cecilia Reyes and others... but hearing it from Geoff really drove the point home.

So I was thinking "What is it this character is about?" Pretty much Miguel doesn't have a lot of walls between what he thinks and what he says or does. He's not "angsty"... he says what he's feeling, he'll hug you if you surprise him or make him happy! So in that way he's also about tearing walls down as well -- he strips away the pretense. Walls, hmm. Then I thought it was kind of subversive, if a gay character had the "wall" powers because here in the States the gay rights movement started with Stonewall in NYC's Greenwich Village.

That night it was settled: Wall it was! I wrote to Brett at about a hundred words a minute and, like Brett almost always does, he threw himself into it (even when we don't necessarily see eye to eye, it never keeps us from creating awesome stories and characters together). And to be clear, I don't mean we're on different pages about having a gay character, only that you can imagine anyone's trepidation to get an excited email about how the brand new super hero we're creating is going to be able to mentally control a 3 x 3 square foot of bricks. "It was like, Um..."

CV: It's already been said that he's an openly gay character, how much of that will we see in the issues? Will it be a focus for the character or just a fact everyone on the team will know about?

SL: Well for the first six months the book is so on the run, it is unlikely Miggs is going to find anyone with to share some down time with, romantically speaking. But there are certainly plans in the future for him to date if not exclusively. As far as being "a focus for the character" I'm not really sure what that means. It will be part of his character, but the focus?

CV: Will anyone on the team have difficulty adjusting/accepting who he is?

SL: I can't imagine, can you? I think for the most part super heroes are the most open minded people in the first place, but also (and everyone can rail against this theory if they chose) but I just don't think being gay is much of an issue for today's more enlightened youth. Now, certainly there is bullying and coming out to one's family and all the myriad problems and obstacles that come with coming out... but we're living in a time where there are more gay celebrities and television and movie stars and talk show hosts and rock stars and reality show contestants and even other super heroes... but as far as this new generations acceptance of gays it just feels like it would be false note on our part if we decided that one of the Teen Titans would have any difficulty accepting Miggs because he's gay.

Even Superboy, who has been in his share of VR simulations, we can see in his very first issue that two of his classmates were gay. To that end I don't think he'd find anything out of the norm about Miguel.

CV: You also wrote the issue where Northstar revealed he was gay (ALPHA FLIGHT #106), is your approach to handling Bunker different?

SL: Night and day! Northstar spent his entire life, up until that point, publicly in the closet -- and I believe he was angry with a lot of the world because of it. Miguel on the other was all but born out of the closet. There was never a time in his life that his parents or family tried to shoehorn him into a straight lifestyle... he's just always been Miguel, which as someone who has always been Scott I can tell you it is very liberating to not try to be someone you're not!

CV: Will we see him in a relationship anytime soon?

SL: At least one! But again, honestly, not until around issue eight or nine.

CV: Do you plan on taking on the prejudice and hate some feel towards the gay community or is his sexual orientation not going to be a major issue?

SL: Who plans on confronting homophobia? So, no, I don't plan out it... but I'm sure it is out there and relatively sure Miguel or other members of the team are going to have to deal with it in some capacity or the other.... but, no, I don't have any "plans". (Sigh. Wouldn't it be awesome if I -- and Miggs -- didn't ever have to?)

Yes, it would. Be sure to pick up TEEN TITANS #3 tomorrow, November 23.

I just wish we could have a gay charaacter who is out, without being 'flamboyant'. In my mind that means overly camp which, looking at the pic. and the wAy the character is described, is exactly what Miguel's going to be. While I have nothing against people being camp and/or effiminate, its stereotypical and cliched. Not just in comics but in film and tv as well. Is it too much to ask for a character who's gay without being either extremely camp or overtly butch?

With so much controversy in the world of superheroes/villains, I'm not sure why there is even emphasis placed on a gay character. IMO it's not a ground-breaking concept. I do like the name though. So what if he is gay? Is that supposed to bring in more fans? I'm not sure what the point of having an openly gay character in comics is. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm against gays, not at all, I'm simply not sure why this is headline news.

I wish there were more characters like Batwoman and Renee Montoya who fairly represent the gay community in comics without having that detail of their lives shoehorned in as their entire personality. And then, I look at this guy, how he's drawn, what color scheme they went with, and the name.... and all I can think to do is get a roll of ace bandages for the giant palm-shaped dent I just left in my face.

Still, I'll give Lobdell the benefit of the doubt. He might be able to pull of something more respectful and write the character better than I'm guessing. Maybe. On the bright side, at least they're TRYING to get more diverse characters into comics.

i don't get what the problem is with some flamboyant characters are, its suddenly become very ok to just put the stereotype marker on it, but people don't realise its not a stereotype sometimes some people are flamoyant in character, as others are not and others fall inbetween, and all types were important in the battle for gay rights so i don't know where this sudden oh fems vs masc attitude has come from since both sides were vital to obtaining the first steps in the community. Its so annoying get over it different types exists some are fems and some are not but that doesn't mean a fem or flamboyant character if written properly that they can't be successful,.

If they didnt want controversy then why did they have to announce it like its a big deal? It wouldve been much better if they just threw it in the issue in a normal manner instead of introducing the character as "The Gay Teen Titans member"

If they didnt want controversy then why did they have to announce it like its a big deal? It wouldve been much better if they just threw it in the issue in a normal manner instead of introducing the character as "The Gay Teen Titans member"

because they do want that controversy....the controversy gets the news out and makes people curious....people will buy the issue just to see what the controversy is all about

@CaptainCockblock: Agree with what you said, it seems the character's personality revolved around him being gay, but we won't know for sure yet. Wish he'd gone the route of Wiccan and Hulking and not made such a big deal about it. Those two are great characters and people I can cheer for even if I don't agree with everything they believe in.

I'm not a fan of gay characters, I love Authority but hated the in your face relationship between Midnighter and Apollo hope the retcon that hopefully... Anyway it's not like I'm homophobic or anything like that it just gets under my skin even bisexual characters like the one on Torchwood Captain Jack Harkness is well done as it not a in your face thing! I think to write this type of thing it can't be just for controversy.

I love how people automatically make the assumption that just because he's a "controversial" character, it's not going to be a good one. A bit presumptuous, no? People need to wait until at least..y'know actually reading the issue before they start complaining about how it's not a good character, seeing as he hasn't even appeared in anything yet.

To be fair to DC. It's not as if they've created a press release saying. LOOK AT OUR NEW GAY character. In all the interviews with Lobdell, he only talks about Bnker when he's asked a question that relates to him. He doesn't try and shoe-horn him into every response. Even on the DC website, where they have their three things to know about...., for Bunker they didn't even mention the fact that he's gay.

Most of the talk and hype about Bunker, is fan created and people like Lobdell are simply reacting to that.

Great article! although I will never be 100% into the concept gays in comics, it feels like he's just being forced into this book, but whatever this won't stop me buying this book... well as long as he is no too flamboyant. Honestly I just want to see how Superboy will join the not some guy (gay or straight) with psychic brick powers?!

@wowylied- Good call. Though let's be honest not very gay person lives up to stereotype, but there are some who embrace it. Have you seen "America's Next top Model"? LOL So if they're gonna go that route I can deal. And the name Bunker is much better than Wall. Hoping charcoal girl gets a good name, as "The Bug" is named Skitter now.

Have absolutely no problem with this new character. Diversity is needed I suppose so why not have a character such as this? It was done for Spider-Man Ultimates and should be done here as well. Be interesting to see how Bunker develops as a character I say.

Damn, who cares if he's gay, black, mexican, legless, catholic or bald? The character has something to offer? nice, let it come... sucks much? throw it to comic-hell until some writer decides to do something cool with it!

I just wish it didn't seem so gimmicky. I'm all for some gay characters but everything needs to fit organically in the story.

and seriously, you introduce a gay character and his costume is purple and pink? gimme a break.

We wanted to show an interesting character who's homosexuality is part of him, not something that's hidden. Sure they are gay people who you wouldn't know are gay right off the bat, but there are others who are a more flamboyant, and we thought it would be nice to actually see them portrayed in comics. Did we go over the top, I don't think so. I wanted you to know he might be gay as soon as you see him. Our TT is partly about diversity of ANY kind, its about all kinds of teens getting together to help each other. It is a very difficult line to walk, will he be as I've read in some of the comments 'fruity'? Not that I'm aware of. Will he be more effeminate than what we've seen before, the 'typical' gay male comic character, yes. Does it scare the shit out of me that I might inadvertently piss off the group I want to reflect in a positive way, you're damn straight (pun intended!)

With Bunker's background, Lobdell wanted to make his history "angst-free" thus allowing Bunker to be very open, comfortable, and positive about who he is, and his sexuality.